


To Preserve, Protect and Defend

by Scarlet_Witch_Angel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Based on Chris Evan's Twitter posts, Based on an answer Haley gave at a convention, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Bisexual Peggy Carter, Bisexual Steve Rogers, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Post-Civil War (Marvel), Steve talking about Trump winning, chain of hope, inferred relationships, post election ramblings, story of hope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:49:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8514043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Witch_Angel/pseuds/Scarlet_Witch_Angel
Summary: "No more fear. Only hopeful optimism. I gonna let love be my guide. All my energy will now go towards protecting the rights of ALL Americans." ~Chris Evans, 2016The 2016 Presidential Election has ended. Steve Rogers, who is in Wakanda, is heartbroken at the results. He realizes what he must do to truly be what Captain America was supposed to be.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written after the end of the 2016 US Presidential Election. This is honestly based on a few separate things - other than my feelings on the situation.
> 
> ~Chris Evans put up two Twitter posts after the election was finished. He took up his Steve Rogers mindset and spoke what he felt needed to be said and heard.
> 
> ~Haley Atwell said this year during a convention panel that she believed Peggy Carter is bisexual.
> 
> ~Mark Ruffalo... That's all I have to say right there. If you follow him on Instagram/Tumblr/Twitter, know what I'm talking about.

Steve dropped the remote to the floor of the Wakandan Avengers' common room. It clattered loudly, but did not break.

“No...”

He couldn't believe it. This was what America had become. That was what America was going to become. He'd fought so hard, Peggy'd fought so hard, to keep America and the Western world from becoming this.

Choosing _him_ had sealed the once great nation's fate.

The super soldier was glad that Bucky was asleep. He didn't want him to see this. He didn't want his best friend, the man he'd known all his life, to know what was happening to their former home.

“Steve, are you okay?”

Steve looked back, having not heard the group run into the area. Sam was standing there. Behind him was most of the rest of his team – Wanda, Clint and Scott. And behind them was T'Challa. They were all worried for him. Wanda especially, sense she could probably already tell his fear.

“No,” she whispered, “he's not.”

“It's not Bu-” The archer looked over at the screen as he started to talk. He stopped. “The election. Fuck, I'd forgotten all about it,” he muttered. He was just glad he'd moved his family to Wakanda with him.

Scott gave a look, unsure as to the meaning behind it. “So, it's just an election. What's so special about this one?”

The super soldier stood and made his way over to the windows. He gazed out over the rainforests of the nation they now lived. The others watched him, then they all gazed at the screen.

The results were in.

Donald Trump had won.

“Bucky was forced to fight for Hydra when Hydra was hiding in SHIELD. If he was awake, he would be afraid for the country we served,” Steve spoke softly, “I've heard things about this man – this Donald Trump – from Tony and other sources. Tony doesn't like him, especially after he stopped trying to sell weapons to other nations and started working on producing clean energy.”

“Who-” Scott started, only for the young woman to silence him. The rest of them knew that Tony'd been the one to stop selling weapons. But that didn't matter at the moment.

“Trump doesn't stand for the average Joe. He doesn't stand for the hard-working American,” the blond leader continued, “He's a bully. He's a rich, white supremacist. He cares only for the straight-laced, white, Christian male. He cares little for women. He doesn't care for the minority. He doesn't care for those of other religions. He'd rather those who question not only their sexuality but their gender either disappear or have 'conversion therapy' as his vice presidential candidate so wonderfully put it.”

“Conversion therapy?” Wanda whispered.

“Therapy to make it so those who are homosexual, bisexual, transgender, bi-gender, asexual, questioning...” Sam started, swallowing, “Therapy to force them to be so afraid of who they are that it will make them think they are straight. That they are the gender they were born and not the gender they feel.”

She covered her mouth in shock. “Oh god.”

“Bucky and I lived in a part of Brooklyn... We lived in what was called the queer part of Brooklyn,” Steve spoke, knowing they were still listening, “At least half of the people in our neighborhood were homosexual or would dress like the gender they wanted to be. But they were forced to do it behind closed doors. We knew people of other nationalities, other cultures. We were first generation Irish-Americans ourselves in a time that still hated the Irish. We learned about what was right and what was wrong to do in that time. We had to.”

“You had to? You mean...?” Clint uttered.

“I realized it once I was out of the ice,” the super soldier nodded, “During and after the events of New York. Don't get me wrong, I loved Peggy. I honestly did love her... But I knew I liked guys too. Peggy, on one of her more lucid days, told me she knew and that she was herself. She'd fallen for a gal about a year and a half after I'd gone in. They'd had a time of it, but they fell apart and had each gone their own ways. She'd found love again not long after, but she'd known during that small amount of time.”

“Director Carter was bi?” the newest recruit questioned.

“From what she told me, Stark never said anything if and when he found out. He had to. Heaven knows that the Commandos kept quiet about all three of us, especially since we had a Japanese-American and an African-American in our ranks. We knew how to keep secrets and how to defend each other.”

“Captain Rogers, what will you do?” the king asked, curious as to what the answer would be.

Running his fingers through his hair, Steve turned to the group. His tired, tear streaked face was solemn but steady. It was obvious that that his physical steadiness was betraying the fact that he was shaking with fear and anger inside. He was afraid for those who were different. He was afraid for the minority, for women, for those who questioned themselves.

He was afraid for himself.

He was afraid for Bucky.

He was afraid for America.

“We remain on standby, but send out messages as we can,” he started, “We let the people know we're still around and that we're here for them if they believe in us. We reach out for the others who weren't in the fight, if we can. I know for certain Bruce won't be happy about this.”

“Standby?” T'Challa wondered.

“We can't do anything physically yet,” Steve answered, “Not yet, with the trouble we're still in. But we can be around for support. We can start the chain of hope for those lost in the chaos. They need a sign that there is someone who will stand up for them, who will stand by them.”

“Don't you mean the thread?” Scott asked out loud, wondering why the captain had gotten the phrase wrong.

“No, he means chain,” a new voice came from behind them. They all turned to see Natasha standing there.

“Miss Romanoff.” The king nodded to the woman, who now stood before them as a short-haired blonde. She returned the nod, but kept her eyes on Steve.

“He means chain because a chain is stronger. It can be easy and hard to climb, but when had that ever stopped us?”

Steve nodded. “A chain has strength. We have that strength in many forms: words, actions. It will start small, as chains always do, but I know we'll gain support. The chain will grow, the strength with grow.”

“Where do we start?” the Falcon wanted to know.

Right at that moment, a voice came over the common room's speaker. “Your Majesty, a call from New York. It's from Tony Stark. Do your guests wish to-”

“We won't hide,” Steve interrupted, nodding to T'Challa, “you can put it through.”

The king nodded. “Put the call through, on the television.”

Near instantly, Tony's face popped up on screen. The look on his face was one of exhaustion. Pepper was with him, gently holding his hand. It was still dark over there, the lights of the city seen in the background.

“T'Challa,” he acknowledged softly.

“Stark.”

Then the dark eyes gazed upon the former national icon's face. He bowed his head a little, gripping Pepper's hand gently.

“Cap...”

“Tony.”

Steve could hear the billionaire swallow, breathing shakily.

“Cap I'm glad you're there. We're going to need your help. All of you,” he finally spoke.

“We can't fight yet,” Steve told him, already giving him the answer needed. He watched as the man's shoulders drooped down. And then he continued.

“But we will help with support until we can. Help us to stay hidden until we're all cleared and we'll create the chain of support for those who fear for their safety in this time.”

The Iron Man wearer looked up. “All of you. I'll clear all of you, even Barnes. I'll work on appealing or amending the Accords. I'll work with T'Challa to keep you hidden. I'll do anything and everything.”

Tears flowed from Tony's eyes. “Please Steve. Help us. We need your voice, now more than ever.”

All the blond could do was nod. He bowed his head, closing his eyes. His hands shook.

He was a message of hope.

He'd realized that as he had been trying to recover and find himself after Bucky put himself back into cryo. It had taken a month or two, but he'd realized that Erskine had gone to him to be a message of hope. In the tyranny of Hydra, Nazis and the Red Skull, he was a symbol of hope.

Captain America had stood for truth, justice and hope.

And that's exactly what he would do again. Even if he didn't carry the shield anymore, he would do it in another way. Since Bucky's return to cryo, this had been the first time the super soldier had found purpose again. And it was a true purpose. He was angry, but he would do something non-violent in his anger. He would give a louder voice to those who had little to none.

Softly, he spoke, “I promise... To the best of my ability... To preserve, protect and defend...”

His head rose, looking to Tony and everyone in the room. The two on the screen were in awe. The others were in shock.

“Those who live in fear, those who are lost, those who need that light. I promise to preserve, protect and defend, for I am a symbol of those who hope for a better future.”

His gaze landed on T'Challa, Tony and Natasha. It was as though he picked up a shield again even though he hadn't. However it wasn't against an enemy. Not really.

It was for a cause, for the defense hope and freedom. For the lame and down-trodden. For the minority. For equality all across the board.

For the _true_ America.

“When do we start?”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is my voice on the matter. You can flame me to hell and back. You can tell me how Trump is the greatest gift to mankind. You can tell me how he'll "make America great" again.
> 
> In the words of T'Challa and Tony Stark: I don't care.
> 
> I stand by this story. I stand by my information. Chris Evans himself called Trump a bully, but then said how he would protect ALL Americans. And when THE Steve Rogers calls out the President Elect and then says that he'll help to protect all Americans?
> 
> You. Listen.
> 
> Yes, I used part of the Presidential Oath to Office. Yes, I used a few words from the Statue of Liberty. They needed to be used. It has been said before - earlier this year, in fact - that Captain America is a symbol of hope and peace. He is a light in the darkness for those who have lost theirs.
> 
> In this time for those of us who are lost, we look to the true Captain America, the true Steve Rogers. He is the start of that chain. Let's build that chain of hope and gain strength and know that we are not alone.
> 
> Look to Bruce Banner, to that humanitarian with such strength when angered. He is a link in that chain. Let's find our own inner strength and inner anger to keep doing what's right and get the right gears moving.


End file.
